Simulation of Electricity Larceny Detection for

Secondary Distribution System using PLCC

(Simulation using Multisim simulator)
Maulik J. Bhensdadiya1

Abhishek M. Sheth2

Nikhilkumar P. Patel3

Electrical Engineering Department,

G.H.Patel College of Engineering &
Technology,
Anand, India.
bmj.patel@gmail.com

Electrical Engineering Department,

G.H.Patel College of Engineering &
Technology,
Anand, India.
sheth.abhishek@ymail.com

Electronics and Communication

Engineering Department,
G.H.Patel College of Engineering &
Technology,
Anand, India.
nikhilpatel@gcet.ac.in

AbstractPower Line Carrier communication (PLCC)

system consists of a high frequency signal injection over the
electrical power lines. Adopting PLCC concept and applying it to
identify unethical users of electricity is the basic aim behind this
paper. In this paper, we present detection of electricity larceny
using the simulation of PLCC system. Proposed concept of this
system is based on transmitting the high frequency carrier signal
with 230 V power line signal using PLCC technique. Only carrier
current is measured at the input side and then modulated signal,
which is the combination of power signal and carrier signal, is
supplied to each connection within the range. The modulation of
two signals is performed using PLCC Modulation technique. At
the receiving end of each connection, carrier signal& 230 V
power signal is extracted by PLCC demodulation technique. The
carrier signal is supposed to be consumed by constant load at
each connection. After predetermined number of connections,
carrier signal from the power line is measured and compared
with the carrier current at the input side. If any type of variation
in the difference between two readings (input and output side) is
found then it is the indication of power larceny.
KeywordsPower line carrier communication
Modulation/demodulation; Power larceny.

I.

PLCC basically works on three basic elements i.e.

transmission line, presenting a channel for the transmission of
carrier energy and tuning, blocking, coupling equipment.
PLCC implements high frequency carrier signal on power line
signal in such a way that it doesnt affect the power signal [4].

(PLCC);
Fig.1. Generalized block diagram of PLCC system

INTRODUCTION

In the earlier days, communication system was limited to

wired and wireless devices. Even in todays world of high
speed internet and fiber optics, Power Line Carrier
communication (PLCC) is still widely used where wireless
communication is not possible or for providing real-time
communications for protection of high voltage transmission
lines. [3] [10]
A. Concept of PLCC System
Power line communication system can be defined as a system
for carrying data on a conductor also used for transmission.
PLCC is often the most economical and reliable high-speed
dedicated channel available for protective relaying. PLCC is
basically a system which is meant for joining two signals
having different frequencies, same as modulation process. [1]
[2]

As shown in Fig.1, Power line carrier communication consists

of three main components: wave trap, line matching unit and
coupling capacitor. These components are used for modulation
as well as demodulation process and they are explained as
below:
Wave trap does not allow the transmitted HF carrier
to enter the substation. Without wave trap, HF carrier
signal gets bypassed to some other lines on the same
bus-bar and there is also possibility of leaking to
ground.
LMU (Line Matching Unit) is utilized for impedance
matching between line and coaxial cable. It includes
high voltage protection devices like drainage coil,
lightening arrestor and an earth switch.
Coupling capacitor couples high frequency carrier
signal with Power Line. The data are mixed with
radio frequency carrier and it is amplified to a level of 10-80W
power. Thus it can be injected to high voltage power line

using a suitable coupling capacitor. Various types of coupling

methods can be used in PLCC system [6]:
Phase to ground coupling: It consist of only one coupling
capacitor and one wave trap required at one end. So this
system is simple and economical.
Phase to phase coupling: It includes two coupling capacitors
and two wave traps which are required at one end. So it is
costlier compared to phase to ground coupling.
Interline or inter circuit coupling: This system includes the
advantages of phase to phase coupling and provide additional
benefit of working in the event of shut down of one of the two
circuits of the transmission line. [7]
B. Existing System
All PLC systems operate by applying a modulated carrier
signal on the existing electrical wiring system. There are
different types of power line communications, depending on
frequency bands used. A good example of PLC that uses highfrequency communication (MHz range) is broadband over
power lines (BPL). BPL employs PLC to provide broadband
data and voice services through the use of existing electrical
power lines. Typically BPL services operate by modulating in
a carrier wave of between 1.6 and 80 MHz into electrical
power lines. In the U.S., BPL services are offered by, for
example, CURRENT communications Services, LLC, a joint
venture between Current Communications and Cinergy, and
the City of Manassas Utilities. [14]
PLC has long been used, with medium-frequency
modulation (kHz range), for remote measurement and
reporting purposes. The applications are for example for
utilities to control and perform telemetry of electrical
equipment such as meters (AMR), SCADA, demand side
management and power quality monitoring systems. PLC can
also be used for home automation, e.g. for remote lighting and
appliance control and/or monitoring. Many of such monitoring
and control devices for home automation are available
commercially today. These devices can operate on X10 -- "a
communications language that allows compatible products to
talk to each other using the existing electrical wiring in the
home", INSTEON -- "a robust, redundant dual-band mesh
network that combines wireless radio frequency (RF) with the
home's existing electrical wiring". Typically homecontrol/monitoring PLC devices modulate in a carrier wave of
between 20 and 200 kHz into the household wiring, or UPB -"The UPB is a highly reliable, cost effective, 2-way
communications technology which enables control products to
utilize existing power lines for both residential and
commercial applications". [15]
C. Applications of PLCC system
PLCC system can be used in home automation systems. It is
also efficient in controlling various processes i.e., heating and
ventilation, air conditioning, lighting and status monitoring. It
can be implemented where networks have low speed data
communication. Automatic meter reading can be achieved

using this technique and hence useful in intelligent buildings.

PLCC can be exploited to display signs, information and to
indicate fire security using alarms. [6]
D. Objective
In remote areas and some parts of urban areas, transmission
and distribution losses are quite higher than defined. One of the
reasons behind it is the theft of electricity. There are various
methods of stealing electricity like anchoring, meter bypassing
etc. Our objective is to detect the electricity larceny by using
PLCC system. As PLCC system is very flexible and sensitive,
it can be used in the secondary distribution system. This type of
system can be profitable at long time as it is very efficient of
detecting power larceny. It is anticipated that this type of
technique will allow engineers to evaluate proposed designs
and trouble-shooting problems and hence maximizing the
performance and reliability of distribution systems, and thus
improving power system security.
II.

CONVENTIONAL METHOD

Now-a-days, there is no efficient method of detecting electric

larceny. Conventionally, Electricity board may detect this type
of losses up to certain level or the vigilance squad of
electricity board may go for surprise check up in the areas
where they find more consumption of electricity than
indicated by energy meters. As shown in Fig.2, they compare
the indication of energy-meter i.e. 12 kW situated at pole
mounted transformer and the total energy meters i.e. 10 kW of
all household consumers. If they find certain mismatches of
the electricity consumption indicated by energy meters (2 kW
in our case) then, they subdivide this type of illegal electricity
consumption among electricity consumers of the particular
area where this type of theft is continuously occurs. Therefore
approximately 0.5 kW additional power is to be considered by
each house load. These methods are quite improper as it
doesnt justify to the legal consumers and also not efficient to
detect the unethical users.

Fig. 2 Conventional Method for detection of Electricity Larceny

III.

PROPOSED METHOD

The whole scenario of detecting power larceny using

PLCC technique is shown in Fig. 3. We have considered the
definite number of housing loads between any two electric
poles. As this technique is flexible, it can be implemented for
the definite range of housing loads like rural areas or in certain
societies of urban areas having high possibility of power theft.
In Fig. 3 A, B and C indicate ethical users having
demodulation system while D can be any unethical user which
tries to theft electricity using anchor. We have considered that
unethical user also uses PLCC demodulation technique.

Fig.4 Block diagram of Modulation system

As shown in Fig 4, In PLCC system, the power signal passes

through wave trap. Wave trap attenuates any type of
harmonics wave from the power signal. The carrier wave from
carrier source (signal generator) is supplied to coupling
capacitor which is in conjunction with line matching unit.
They perform very critical function of matching carrier signal
with power line. Therefore the value of coupling capacitor and
inductor of wave trap is very precisely selected for effective
operation. [9]
Fig. 3 Proposed block diagram

Using the PLCC equipment as explained in 1.1, carrier signal

of 1 KHz, 5 V is superimposed on power signal of 230 V, 50
Hz, which is a kind of frequency modulation. However, the
current of carrier signal is measured initially. In the PLCC
modulation, coupling devices consists of high voltage
capacitors in conjunction with suitable line matching units
(LMUs). Thus it can effectively modulate two signals.

B. Demodulation
For demodulation of FM signal, various diode detection
methods such as slope detector, foster seeley detector can be
used. But these methods are not efficient of eliminating carrier
signal from the power signal. As shown in Fig. 5, slope
detector circuit may be used for FM demodulation up to
certain extent. But the exact sinusoidal power signal cannot be
acquired due to certain limitations such as voltage drops of
power signal are more. Frequency variations in the output
signal are more and harmonic distortion is there.

A. Modulation
Various methods can be used for modulation such as FSK
(frequency shift keying), FDM (frequency division
multiplexing) and OFDM (orthogonal frequency division
multiplexing). FM (frequency modulation) technique for
modulation in PLCC is preferable for our work. Frequency
modulation (FM) is the encoding of information in a carrier
wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. In analog signal
applications, the difference between the instantaneous and the
base frequency of the carrier is directly proportional to the
instantaneous value of the input-signal amplitude [5].

Fig.5. Simulation circuit diagram of diode detection demodulation technique

Here, PLCC system for demodulation purpose can also be

used. As shown in Fig.6, wave trap attenuates high frequency
carrier signal and passes power signal to household load.
Coupling capacitor blocks power signal and allows carrier
signal which can be dropped by constant resistance. Carrier
current is maintained constant for each demodulation unit and
thus for each household load [13].

other technique can also be used so that if any change is found

in carrier current, then data can be sent to control room.
In PLCC method, the electricity larceny can be found out
by measuring carrier current changes for the particular area, as
PLCC is quite sensitive to very negligible changes in the
current parameter. The electricity theft in the particular areas
can be easily and effectively detected and hence the larceny of
electricity can be prevented.
IV.

SIMULATION AND DISCUSSION

Fig.6 Block diagram of Demodulation system

As a next step, this modulated signal reaches to various

housing loads at which demodulation units are connected for
each housing load. The modulated signal is demodulated using
wave trap which provides high attenuation to carrier signal
and low impedance to the power signal which is 230 V, 50 Hz
in our case. Therefore power signal is separated and supplied
to variable housing loads. While the loss of carrier signal due
to attenuation remains constant as demodulation system is
considered to be identical at each housing loads [9].
By use of calculated housing loads, the modulated signal is
demodulated and carrier signal current is measured. As
explained, due to certain drops of carrier signal at various
housing loads we may get certain value of current which
remains constant and which is less than the measured carrier
current on the starting of modulation process. If this difference
remains constant, then it will be the indication of normal
system without any power theft.
If unethical user may try to steal electricity using certain
methods, then two possibilities may occur:

The electrical equipment of the person who is trying

to theft electricity will not work at all, because the modulated
signal having undefined high frequency is not worthy to run
electrical equipment.

However, if the unethical user succeeds in using the

electrical power with the help of demodulation unit which is
placed at each ethical housing load, then he/she can run the
electrical equipment. But due to particular drop of carrier
signal in the demodulation system, the difference between the
current of carrier signal will not remain constant as defined for
normal system, and thus it will be the indication of power theft
within a particular area within a range. GSM module or any

Fig.7 Simulation diagram of proposed system

In Fig.7, Power theft using PLCC system can be demonstrated

using Multisim 7 simulator. For convenience, FM current
source is shown having 110mA input current. The FM signal
which combines power signal and carrier signal is to be
measured (XMM 1) i.e. 16.267A. The modulated signal is
demodulated by R-C low pass filter.

fc

1
2 RC

(1)

Where f c =Carrier frequency; R= Constant resistance; C=

Coupling capacitor
The value of coupling capacitor C and constant resistance R is
calculated as 159nF and 1 K respectively using Eq.1 for 1
kHz cut-off frequency. It is considered that house load is a
combination of 40 resistance and 28H inductance, which
vary continuously. These values are identical for the entire
demodulation units situated at each houses. The average
carrier current passes through coupling capacitor to the ground
is 5.972mA, which remains constant for each house. After
predetermined number of houses (three in our case), carrier
current is measured separately shows 88.19 mA. Therefore the
difference between carrier current measured on the input side
and after predetermined houses is 21.81mA .

Fig. 8 Simulation of proposed system with anchor

Ict Icp
Ict

=Efficiency of system; Ict =Theoretical

carrier current; Icp =Practical value of carrier current
Where

(2)
value of

86.112 81.99
100 95.21 %
86.112

If any unethical user tries to theft electricity using anchor as

shown in Fig. 8, then value of carrier current is obtained as
86.112 mA theoretically and 81.99 mA practically after
predetermined houses. So the difference of carrier current
changes to 28.01 A practically, which is the indication of
power larceny on the same power line.
V.

CONCLUSION

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Unethical use of electricity can be detected and burden of

electricity board can be reduced up to some extent using
PLCC scheme. Adopting PLCC modern technique, we can
find larceny but it will also present a conundrum in terms of
adding extra hardware. Adding an extra hardware may
consume extra power but in our case it is negligible as we
have achieved 95.21% efficiency. The Proposed system may
be applicable for 3-phase system.
VI.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We are sincerely thankful to Mr. Babubhai Patel (GETCO,

Karamsad) and Er. Nikunj Kanjariya (GETCO, Gondal) for
their massive support in PLCC immense knowledge.
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